Study of illumination and reflection performances on light-colored pavement materials

• Published in: Construction & building materials Vol. 456; p. 139239
• Main Authors: Zhu, Shangshu, Li, Zhiyong, Long, Kun, Zhou, Shengxiong, Zhou, Zhengfeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 20-12-2024
• Subjects: Energy saving; Light-colored pavement; Lighting performance; Reflection characteristics; Road engineering; Light-colored pavement; Lighting performance; Road engineering; Energy saving; Reflection characteristics
• ISSN: 0950-0618
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2024.139239

To accurately assess the light effects of light-colored pavement materials, a reflection measurement device was applied to evaluate the reflective characteristics of pavement materials equipped with light-colored aggregates and recycled glass. DIAlux evo software was employed for luminance-based lighting calculations to analyze the impact of reflection characteristics on lighting performance. The study highlights the necessity of using reflection characteristics to evaluate pavement lighting efficiency and confirms the energy-saving advantages of light-colored pavements. The results demonstrate that light-colored aggregates significantly increase the average luminance factor of asphalt pavements, converting the reflection type to diffuse reflection, while glass aggregates enhance specular reflection. Light-colored pavements effectively improve the luminous environment of road surface, ensuring both good visual performance and comfort, while reducing energy consumption per kilometer. From the perspective of light reflection mechanisms, diffuse reflective materials are most advantageous for energy-efficient lighting.
•The road lighting calculation considers the pavement reflection characteristics.•Light-colored pavement materials can significantly improve the road luminance.•The energy-saving ratio of light-colored pavement materials reach 29.2 %.•Bright color mode is simple and cost-effective for road.